CASA Swimmers Storm to Success at County Championships

Swimming under the banner of Cleethorpes & Scunthorpe Aquatics, local swimmers stunned the big city clubs at the 2008 Yorkshire County Championships with a series of outstanding performances that placed the club in an unprecedented third place overall and ahead of several much larger city based clubs. There were nearly 700 of the best swimmers from across the County competing at the championships representing over 30 clubs.

A total of 45 CASA swimmers qualified for the annual championships which were held over three weekends during February and March at the newly opened John Charles 50m Olympic standard pool at Leeds. They produced a massive total of 147 finalists and won 44 medals including 9 gold, 20 silver and 15 bronze. Along the way the swimmers recorded an astonishing 343 personal best times across all events.

Gold medal winners and Yorkshire County Champions for 2008 were:

• Leah Altoft (200 breaststroke, 50m breaststroke)
• Callum Gladding (50m butterfly).
• Sophie Long (1500 freestyle)
• Oliver Webster (200m freestyle, 200m butterfly, 200m breaststroke, 200m individual medley, 400m freestyle)

Congratulations also go to Leah Altoft, Georgia Cragg, Sophie Long, Josh Jones & Oliver Webster who achieved qualifying times for the National Age Group Championships to be held at Sheffield in July.

Chief coach Nathan Hilton was delighted with the results and admitted that they exceeded even his high expectations. "I knew that we would do well at the championships but to be in third place and ahead of clubs like Sheffield and Bradford is incredible when you consider how small we are by comparison. Yorkshire is recognised, as one of the strongest swimming counties in the country and for our swimmers to do so well is an amazing achievement and just reward for all their hard work and commitment. In some events there were three CASA swimmers in the final! Our performances have well and truly put this club and the area on the swimming map.”